


Feeling

by Braincoins



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alien Culture, Cultural Differences, F/M, Fluff, SFW unless you're an Altean, disney costumes, silliness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-30 09:24:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15093857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Braincoins/pseuds/Braincoins
Summary: A prank that should have been harmless goes awry, leaving everyone - especially Shiro and Allura - with questions.





	Feeling

**Author's Note:**

> I know I'm posting this when I should be putting up chapter 2 of "Stronger Together," but I have had a hell of a week, the fandom is flipping out, and I thought some silly fluff would make us all feel better. (Psst: there's a teaser for chapter 2 up on my Tumblr ^_~)
> 
> This is what happened when I thought about the fact that Alteans are covered neck to toe but their clothes are so TIGHT. So clearly it's showing skin that they have a problem with. Of course, I came up with this idea before we got to see Coran's buff arms in s2, and it doesn't take into account Pidge wearing shorts, and... well, look, I can come up with all kinds of workarounds and excuses, but LET'S JUST PRETEND FOR THE SAKE OF SILLY, OKAY?
> 
> PS - unbeta'd due to my wonderful beta's compy going BOOM.  
> ===================

            “Pidge? What are you doing?”

            She looked up from her computer to see Princess Allura coming into the old AI chamber and scrambled to her feet. “Ah, Princess! Sorry if I… I didn’t mean to intrude, but I was testing something and I hope you don’t mind, but this room was already set up for it, and…”

            Allura smiled reassuringly at her. “I don’t know if I mind or not, since I don’t know what you’re doing,” she reminded her. The princess was very good at sounding pleasant and civil while at the same time letting you know that she would take no crap. Pidge really, really, _really_ wanted to learn how she did that.

            “Uh, well, do Alteans have the concept of a ‘holodeck’?”

            “A… what?”

            Pidge rushed to explain the concept of a place for creating imaginary visual worlds to run around in. “I thought it would be good for entertainment, as well as running some of the larger theoretical models, and I didn’t want to use the training deck since, it’s, well, for training, and this room was already set up for the sort of projection needed, and…”

            “Pidge, Pidge.” Allura put a hand on her shoulder. “It’s fine. Thank you for your explanation. It sounds like a very nice way to relax. Coran’s always after me about that.”

            “Don’t you have Shiro to relax with?” Pidge asked slyly. She probably _shouldn’t_ ask that sort of thing, but, oh well, too late! They all knew Allura and Shiro were “courting,” after all.

            The princess blushed a little. “I… suppose, but there are different types of relaxation, and I can’t always rely on him for that. And he probably needs time to relax that isn’t… spent with me. It’s a wonderful idea, Pidge.”

            Pidge smiled. “I left the Altean imagery in there, of course, in case you ever need it. But for now, I’ve been uploading mostly Earth stuff. Mostly stuff I like from back home, actually, ‘cause it’s what I have access to.” She had an idea. “Care to help me test? It’s just small stuff right now, mostly just costumes, but…”

            “Costumes?”

            “Well, I grew up liking a lot of animation, especially Disney stuff.” When Allura cocked her head and looked confused, Pidge explained, “Uh, that’s an animation company, don’t worry about it, it’s not important. But I have pictures of the various characters from their movies, and I _think_ I’ve got it set up so that it can make it look like you’re in a particular character’s outfit. The computer has detailed body scans of us, after all; the program I wrote just molds the outfit to your body shape.”

            “It replaces my clothing? I’m not sure I like that.”

            “No, no, it’s an illusion. It just _looks_ like it replaced it. And I can’t get it to do anything with hair or eyes or anything else yet. I’m still working on it.”

            “Well, that sounds like it could be fun. What do I have to do?”

            Pidge grinned and brought up her files. “Just stand there. Let’s see, you’re a princess, so how about…” She highlighted a file and hit Enter.

            And like that, Allura was in Belle’s ball gown, complete with the gloves. She blinked and looked down at herself, and the blush came back just a little. “It’s… lovely, but…” She whipped around to the sound of the door opening behind her.

            “Hey, Pidge, you get it… OH WOW!” That was Hunk. “That is looking super good! I mean, it’s totally the wrong color for Allura – no offense, Princess – but the modeling is spot-on!”

            “Why do you say it’s the wrong color?” Pidge asked.

            “Well, it’s nice against her skin tone, but with her eyes? Nah, man. Try Aurora – either color.”

            “Who’s Aurora?” Allura asked.

            “And how do you know so much about colors? And Disney princesses?”

            Hunk shrugged. “What? I just like Disney movies.”

            Pidge beamed. “Want to help me test, too, Hunk?” She found Aurora and hit Enter: the Belle ballgown blinked away, leaving Allura in her usual dress, before Aurora’s pink dress faded in to replace it. Hunk gave it a thumbs up.

            “Sure. I think I’d look quite nice in Belle’s ballgown, by the way.”

            Pidge and Allura both laughed, but she couldn’t help noticing the princess looked a little more comfortable in this dress than she had before. She loaded up Hunk’s scan and went ahead and put him in the ballgown though, and Hunk set about spinning around.

            “Does it look good when I twirl?”

            “It looks very nice,” Allura assured him. But she was back to looking uncomfortable.

            Pidge nodded. “Yeah, it’s moving well. Realistically, anyway. Some clipping, but I can fix that. Sorry to ruin your fun, but I want to try some of the male costumes as well.”

            Hunk stopped twirling. “Oh, fine. Pick someone good. I don’t want to be a bad guy.”

            “Why would you upload enemies?” Allura asked.

            “Well, it’s just for testing. And besides, we could make training drones be the villains if we wanted.” Pidge found a good candidate for Hunk, hit Enter, and voila!

            “Kristoff?! Oh man, good choice, Pidge!” He grinned down at himself, and Pidge’s eyes flew to the princess, who seemed to ease down considerably. _Interesting._

            “For that matter, how about this, Princess?” Select, Enter, and Allura was now in Elsa’s coronation gown.

            “Oh, it’s lovely!” Now it was her turn to twirl. “I love the cape! The gloves are a bit much though.”

            “They… should be removable? Try it.”

            Allura hesitated. “I don’t feel like I’m even wearing gloves.”

            “No, you shouldn’t. But the computer should read your motion and translate it into action. Oh, like Hunk is doing!” He was removing Kristoff’s hat and putting it back on his head over and over. “Good job!”

            Allura tried to tug the gloves off and they responded well, Pidge was pleased to see. “It’s so strange: I can’t feel them, but they’re reacting like real gloves, so it… feels like I should be able to feel them?”

            “I know, right?” Hunk chuckled. “It’s super weird.”

            When Allura’s gloves were off, she held them – or the illusion of them, properly – in one hand and asked, “Now what do I do with them?”

            “Just drop them or throw them; the program should just get rid of them then.”

            Allura threw them over her shoulder and there was a loud scream. She whipped around to see Lance coming in and catching his breath.

            “Oh man, I did _not_ expect that!”

            “There’s not even anything there,” Keith said from behind him. The gloves had, by now, disappeared as predicted. “Settle down.”

            “It’s just an illusion,” Pidge reassured him.

            “Hey, guys!” Hunk said with a wave. “Gonna help us test the Holodeck out?”

            “WE HAVE A HOLODECK NOW?!” Lance was practically jumping for joy, his face lit up like a kid at Christmas. Pidge noticed Keith smile just a little, and she couldn’t help grinning to herself. _They’re too adorable sometimes_.

            “Eh, not really, but I’m working on it,” she told him. “Right now, I just have some costumes loaded from the old Disney stuff, and…”

            “Oh, hell yeah! I want to be all holo-decked-out! Clearly I’m someone dashing, heroic, and completely awesome.” Lance posed, hands on hips, like a superhero. “You should make me Mr. Incredible.”

            Pidge snorted. “No, no, I think I know what you two should be.”

            “Two?” Keith said, but it was too late.

            Lance was the perfect Naveen after all, right down to the personality. Pidge had selected his swamp wedding outfit for him, and it didn’t look too bad on him, she had to admit.

            The _real_ prize was Keith in Tiana’s swamp wedding dress, complete with tiara atop his mullet. Hunk snorted and then was on the ground laughing. Lance was trying valiantly not to laugh, and Keith was glaring the promise of hot death down upon her. “PIDGE…”

            “Okay, okay, settle down.” She scrolled back up and found Prince Phillip from Sleeping Beauty for him. “There.”

            Keith looked himself over. “Better.”

            “Aww, but now he looks more dashing than I do,” Lance pouted.

            “Oh jeeze, you’re so freakin’ picky.” Scroll, scroll, select, and Lance was now in Naveen’s _other_ wedding outfit, one more befitting a modern prince.

            He checked himself out and nodded. “Yeah, okay, this is doable.”

            “Very nice,” Allura agreed. Pidge had almost forgotten about the princess in her desire to make Keith suffer.

            Lance was grinning and posing and Hunk was picking himself up off the floor when Shiro walked in. And it was almost as if Allura teleported to Pidge’s side. _Maybe she did? Who knows what else Alteans are capable of?_ “What are you all doing in here?” he asked.

            “Dude, HOLODECK!” Lance declared. “Look at the nifty outfits!”

            “I’m _working_ on a holodeck,” Pidge corrected, “and this is just testing.” She tried to edge away from Allura when she realized the princess was scanning through the available characters. She gave Allura her best ‘what do you think you’re doing?’ look.

            “I’m trying to find the perfect outfit…” she explained quietly. “Keep him talking.”

            Pidge appreciated having a partner in crime and embarrassment of her newfound “family.” So, okay, she’d keep Shiro talking. “It’s just illusions though,” she told him. “And just of the clothing.”

            “But really good illusions!” Hunk declared. “Look!” He demonstrated the hat trick.

            Lance was _all over_ that, of course. “Let me try!” He swiped the hat off of Keith’s head and put it on his own. “Ha! Cool!”

            “So… the clothes come off?” Keith asked.

            “Not when we’re all in here, they don’t,” Hunk said quickly.

            “This one!” Allura hissed at Pidge. She looked down.

            “Are you sure? That’s not even a hero. He’s actually one of the vil-…”

            “Do Not Question The Princess.”

            Pidge just blinked at her a few times, wondered idly if Allura had actually somehow _seen_ the movie she was quoting, but selected Shiro’s computer scan, the requested outfit, and pushed the button.

            Shiro seemed surprised, but Pidge kept her attention on Allura, who seemed _very_ appreciative of the short jacket, tight pants, and knee-high boots of Prince Hans of the Southern Isles. “Don’t think I know this one,” he apologized. “Sorry.”

            “Don’t be!” Allura said immediately. “I mean… I don’t know the character either.” She was smiling a little too widely. Shiro looked a little embarrassed but he was returning the smile as Allura approached him.

            Pidge shared a look with the other paladins. This was a great avenue for mischief, and none of them were going to pass it up. She looked to Hunk last, who just nodded solemnly. This was the moment. It couldn’t be wasted. She scrolled ‘til she found what she was looking for. Select. Enter.

            The Hans outfit faded out, there was a brief flash of Shiro’s usual black-on-black attire, and then… nothing. Nothing but Tarzan’s loincloth, anyway. Pidge grinned over, expecting the princess to shriek or freeze or maybe even get an anime-style nosebleed, which would’ve been AMAZING.

            Instead, she passed out, instantly, almost like she’d been hit over the head. Shiro barely caught her in time before she hit the deck. “PIDGE!” he barked. She cleared all the costumes, sending them back into their own clothes. Shiro hovered a hand over Allura’s nose and mouth. “She’s still breathing.” He picked her up. “I’m taking her to her room; tell Coran to meet me there.”

            “Right.” She pulled up Coran on the comms and directed him to Allura’s room urgently as Shiro carried her out. She looked around at the guys.

            “What was _that_?” Lance asked.

            “That? That was weird,” Hunk declared. “I mean, we’re all together on that right? It’s like she just shut down.”

            “Like someone flipped a switch,” Keith agreed.

            “Like an overloaded engine,” Pidge surmised. They all shared a look at that.

           

            “What happened?” Coran asked him as he came running in. Shiro was sitting on the edge of Allura’s bed where he had the princess stretched out. He stood to let the advisor have access to check on her.

            “We were testing out the holodeck…”

            “Holodeck?”

            “Nevermind; Pidge can explain that later.” Shiro got to the relevant parts: the costumes, Allura choosing one for him, then Pidge changing it, and Allura suddenly out for the count. “I don’t know the first costume – the one Allura chose – but I think the second one was Tarzan?”

            “I haven’t the foggiest idea who that is,” Coran reminded him.

            “Oh, right. I read the stories when I was younger: he was a British noble who was orphaned and grew up in Africa amongst the great apes, and…”           

            “Why would that make her pass out?” Coran paused. “Wait, describe what he _looks_ like.”

            “Uh, in the stories he’s a white man, athletic, strong…”

            “Clothing,” Coran said shortly.

            Shiro shrugged. “Loincloth and a knife in the stories. I don’t think I had the knife in Pidge’s simulation though.”

            “That’s _all_?” Coran’s eyes were wide. “Good Heavens, no wonder she passed out!”

            “What do you mean?”

            Coran looked up at Shiro from his spot on the edge of Allura’s bed. “Have you not noticed what we wear?” He gestured down at himself. “Covered neck to toe. Showing skin beyond head and hands is…” He cleared his throat. “It’s _highly_ improper outside of a very, very private setting.”

            Shiro felt his cheeks catch on fire. “Oh. I didn’t know. I’m pretty sure Pidge and the others didn’t know either.” _They’d better not have known._

            “She’ll be fine,” Coran told him as he stood. “It was just too much of a shock too quickly. And TOO SOON, if you know what I mean?” He was practically glaring paternal protectiveness into Shiro’s skull.

            “Yes, yes, I know what you mean. And it wasn’t even my idea, remember. If you want to be the one to punish them for this, go right ahead. But remember they didn’t know either.”

            “DIDN’T THEY?”

            “They looked pretty shocked,” he reported. Shiro was only _mostly_ sure they hadn’t known, but he didn’t want Coran to punish them too badly. It was a prank that had gone bad out of ignorance, and he wasn’t going to let them get thrashed too hard for that.

            Coran narrowed his eyes at him, but Shiro held his ground and tried to radiate his belief and trust in his team. Finally, the overprotective advisor backed down. “Fine. I’m going to get her something to drink for when she comes to. I expect you will be _behaving_ when I come back.”

            Shiro sighed in exasperation. “Of course.” And Coran nodded and left. Shiro went to sit down on the edge of Allura’s bed again and brushed some hair away from her face.

            “Is he gone?” She cracked one eye open.

            He smiled softly. “Oh, how long have you been awake?”

            “Since Coran came in.” She opened both eyes and sat up now that she was sure it was safe.

            “You could’ve said something.”

            She started blushing. “It was easier to have him explain it.”

            “I am _so, so_ sorry about that. We didn’t know, and…”

            “I know. Paladins will be paladins,” she said with a tight smile, repeating one of Coran’s favorite mantras. “I just was… not prepared.” She cleared her throat.

            “Neither was I, honestly. Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”

            She took his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. He couldn’t feel it very well, given that it was his Galra hand, but his smile widened a little anyway. “I’m fine. Well, I still feel a little… overheated, but I’m in no danger of passing out again.”

            “Good. You scared the hell out of me, Allura. I was half-considering running to the infirmary and shoving you in a pod.”

            “Oh, please, no. I already spent ten thousand years in one!” she joked.

            “And I should point out that… um… that wasn’t really me. I mean, I don’t look anything like the Tarzan simulation. So…”

            “Shiro,” she groaned, cheeks pinkening. “Why would you say that?”

            His eyebrows drew together and he frowned a little. “I thought it would help?”

            Her blush was growing steadily. “But now I have to wonder what you _do_ look like.”

            “Oh. Sorry.”

            “And, I suppose, if we’re being honest,” she paused to chew her lower lip again, which drove him nuts, so he just cleared his throat and tried to keep his eyes on hers, “I… would like to find out. What you look like. Without…” She gestured up and down to him.

            “Clothes?” She just nodded, face darkening further. He blushed, too. “Well, the feeling’s mutual, but I don’t want to push you too soon.”

            “Yes, and apparently Coran thinks he can tell me what is and is not too soon,” she groused. She looked down at their joined hands. “But, I think that… as long as it’s not all at once, I… might be okay.”

            _Oh, we are changing this subject right now._ Not that he wanted to. He very much wanted to stay on the subject of the two of them getting out of their clothes, but Coran would be back with a drink packet soon, and that was a level of awkward he was not prepared to deal with. _Besides, I said I’d behave_. “So, no skin showing at all? I mean other than the head and hands.”

            She nodded. “Not when you’re above a certain age, anyway. We place a great emphasis on touching each other. Baring your skin to someone is... well, it shows a deep level of trust and vulnerability, after all.” She reached out with her other hand for his proper flesh-and-bone one.

            “What about doctors?”

            She shook her head. “We have a host of machines that can diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries, remember? And the medbots to get you into and out of the healing suits.”

            “Ah, right. I forgot.”

            “When you’re a child, it matters less, and innocent touching amongst family members is always fine. But… to touch the bare skin of someone you’re not related to when you’re older, it’s…uh…”

            “Forget I asked,” he said quickly, seeing her get so flustered. “At least for now. I don’t want you passing out again.”

            “I will not!” She dropped his left hand and shoved at his shoulder playfully.

            He just grinned. “But hand-holding doesn’t count, I take it? Or does it?”

            “No, hand-holding is fine, even if there are no gloves. Coran’s a bit old-fashioned, so he might disagree with me on that, but…”

            The door hissed open. “You’re up! Oh, thank goodness!” Coran came over and practically thrust a packet at her. “Drink up, and we’ll let you rest.”

            “I’m _fine_ , Coran, honestly. But thank you for the water.” She usually sipped from her packet, but this time she didn’t bother drinking delicately.

            “It might be for the best,” he admitted. He didn’t want to leave. He wanted to stay and talk more. He always liked learning more about Altea and its culture, but learning more, specifically about this subject… _Not just what I shouldn’t do going forward, but… all the things I_ should _do…_ A good way to stave off nightmares was to drift off thinking about Allura and all the possible ways he could make her happy. It’d become almost a nightly routine, and he badly wanted to know more about everything she might possibly find the least bit pleasurable.

            But she’d just had a bad (or perhaps good?) shock, and Coran was here, and he wanted to be sure she was healthy and well before anything else. Still, if she wanted him to stay…

            But Allura just sighed in defeat. “Very well, I suppose. We’ll discuss this more later.” Shiro just nodded; he stood by the door to open it and let Coran leave first, then followed him out.

 

            Allura paced in her room. It’d been hours since The Incident. Coran had contacted her twice on minor matters that didn’t really require her attention, so he was clearly in full-on Nanny mode. None of the paladins had made any attempt at contacting her, near as she could tell.

            And, to be honest, the rest _had_ been nice. She’d had a bit of a nap, drifting off into a dream of Shiro lying next to her in her bed, completely shirtless, holding her as she slept. Her first thought upon waking had been disappointment, and her second thought was embarrassment at how incredibly _racy_ the dream had been.

            So now she was up, chewing on her lower lip as she paced and tried to come up with some reason, any reason, to talk to Shiro alone again. He was always such an attentive listener, and this was a subject she really, really wanted to speak with him about.

            Private moments with Shiro awed her, in a way. This man, hardened by imprisonment and battle, was so soft with her in those moments. He looked at her like she was the center of his universe. It was like she transformed him in a way, and it was so flattering. And that was before getting into how they spent those moments together, hugging and kissing and whispering endearments. Alone, together, letting the rest of reality blur into the background, just for a little while. She liked it best when Shiro was left just a little breathless, staring into her eyes rapturously. It made her want to touch his skin so badly, but she hadn’t been sure how to bring it up.

            Well, it had been brought up now! And in a rather unexpected way, no less. But Coranny The Nanny had interrupted that conversation. _I just need some sort of pretext to get him here…_

            But then there was a chime at her door. She had little desire to deal with Coran at the moment, so she brought up the screen to show her who it was before she answered. It showed her a black dot and she brightened as she gestured for the door to open.

            And there was Shiro, with some food and drink for her. “Princess, how are you?”

            She sighed but smiled. “Oh, stop with the ‘princess’, will you? And do come in.”

            He stepped inside and offered over the bowl. “You haven’t come out of your room in hours. Coran’s getting wor-…”

            “Worried about me, yes, I know. He hasn’t exactly been subtle about it.”

            “Well, I volunteered to make sure you’d eat and drink a little something.” He smiled. “And see how you were doing, of course.”

            “I’m so glad you did.” She finally took the bowl and the drink packet. “Let’s sit, shall we?” She walked over and sat on the edge of her bed, balancing the bowl on her lap. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until the smell of it hit her nose, and it was only manners that kept her from shoveling her food in. She scooped up a smaller amount and asked, “How is everyone? I hope I didn’t frighten them too badly earlier,” before popping it into her mouth.

            “They’re glad you’re okay. You scared them quite a bit, especially Pidge. She sends her apologies. They honestly didn’t know, and it was just meant as a prank. Coran’s doubled the cleaning duties, so they’re a bit sullen, but… they’re okay.”

            “I should talk to him about that. If they didn’t know, I don’t see the point in punishing them.”

            “Well, they _were_ trying to make you uncomfortable. Both of us, actually. So, I’m okay with them getting some light punishment. I did have to talk Coran down a bit though.”

            “Ugh, he’s such a nanny sometimes,” she complained before taking a sip of her packet. “But I’m glad you’re here. I was hoping we could talk more on our earlier topic.”

            “Earlier…? Oh.” He blushed. “I… I’d like that. But you should eat first.”

            “Great. Nanny-itis is contagious.” But she duly shoved another sporkful into her mouth.

            “You’ve been in here for hours without food, Allura.”

            “Thaf…”

            “And don’t talk with your mouth full,” he added. Then he chuckled a little. “Sorry, sorry. Maybe nanny-itis _is_ catching.” He cleared his throat, and she caught his blush deepening. “I want you to understand that, if you really want to see me, well, naked, I-I have a lot of scars. Some of them are from childhood accidents or the like, but most…”

            She swallowed. “Are from the Galra?” He nodded. “If it would bother you, Shiro, then we don’t have to.”

            “I didn’t say that,” he replied, perhaps a bit too quickly. “I just… it’s not the prettiest sight in the world.”

            “That doesn’t matter to me. And, for that matter, I don’t think we should jump straight to full nudity just yet.” She laughed a little. “I’m not sure I could handle it, as I think today demonstrated.”

            He chuckled and then nudged the bowl. “Eat.” She huffed but did as told… _this_ time. “Good point though. I don’t want another repeat of that, and I don’t ever, ever want you to feel like we’re rushing things or I’m pressuring you.”

            “Here.” She shrugged out of the robe she was wearing – she’d changed into her nightgown for her nap, after all – and then daringly pulled the sleeve of her nightgown up. She couldn’t do it without blushing, but at least she hadn’t hesitated. “Touch me,” she demanded, holding her arm out towards him.

            “Your arm?” He looked confused and reached out, but then pulled his hand away. She took it as rejection at first, until he moved to touch her with his left hand instead. He was touching her, softly, petting the skin of her arm gently and she smiled at him. “Your skin is so soft.”

            “Shiro!” Her blush deepened.

            He jerked his hand back. “Sorry, was that too much?”

            “It’s… a bit… um…” She bit her lower lip in thought.

            Shiro sucked in a breath and then exhaled a bit harshly. “Too much too soon?”

            “Yes. No. I just… it’s embarrassing. But I like it!” she confessed, which wasn’t helping her blush. “Hearing it from you, anyway.”

            “So, should I say it or not?”

            She swallowed hard. “You should always tell me the truth,” she declared, though she noticed her voice shake a little at first.

            He smiled. “It is the truth.” He resumed petting her arm.

            She watched his fingers brush over her skin, almost feather-light at first, and then he started drawing little loops and whirls over her forearm. He didn’t press hard, but he’d stopped with the whisper-touches, getting more confident in his ability to touch her.

            “How’s that feel?” he asked her.

            “Nice. Thank you.”

            “You should eat more,” he told her. He started to remove his hand from her.

            “I’m not hungry anymore,” she said abruptly, grabbing for his hand. “I’ll finish it later.”

            “Allura.”

            “Please?”

            He looked into her eyes, then nodded. He leaned in to kiss her. Only after they had parted again did he speak, softly. “Whatever you want.”

            It sent a thrill through her. “Really?”

            He nodded. “Of course.”

            “Could I touch you, Shiro?”

            “Wherever you’d like.”

            She swallowed hard. “Let’s just… can we start with your arm? Is that possible?”

            He blinked and smiled. “Of course it’s possible! Why wouldn’t it be?”

            “Well, that shirt is awfully tight; I wasn’t sure if you could take it off without paint remover, honestly.”

            He laughed at that, and she beamed to hear it. “I can pull it up a little bit. If you want more than a forearm, then yeah it probably needs to come all the way off.”

            She opened her mouth then shook her head. “Th-that’s fine.”

            “Allura?”

            “Hm?”

            “Do you want to see my arms?”

            “Well, I mean… No, no, it’s fine, that would be too much.”

            “I don’t mind. Turn around, maybe drink some more water. I’ll take the vest and shirt off and then put the vest back on. You’ll see my arms and a bit more of my neck, that’s all.”

            “W-well, if you’re sure I’m not asking too much.”

            “Drink while I get changed,” he told her sternly. “You don’t want to get dehydrated.”

            “Nanny-itis,” she grumped. But she rose and took the bowl and packet to her vanity. She turned away and sipped at her water, trying not to hear the rustle of fabric behind her. _Shiro is taking off his shirt. In my room._ She felt terribly naughty; doubtless her mother would have scolded her if she’d found out. _But we **are** courting. It’s not like I’m some filthy fleshseeker._ Still, just the feeling of doing something shocking like this made her entire body trill with excitement.

            “Okay, I’m done,” he said. “Should I sit back down or…”

            “Stay there, if you don’t mind?”

            “That’s fine.”

            There was a long pause.

            “Are you going to turn around, Allura?”

            “Eventually.”

            “If you’re not ready for this, then we don’t…”

            She made herself turn around. She’d asked him to do this for her, after all. But seeing so much of his skin made her face and neck heat. She groped for the vanity, trying to set the packet down on it, but she couldn’t take her eyes off Shiro.

            He walked towards her. She stopped moving, possibly stopped breathing. He reached out and took the packet from her to set it down. He smiled. “You okay?”

            She nodded, not answering.

            “You can touch if you want to.”

            She raised one hand to his left arm and softly traced a scar on his bicep. He seemed to gasp softly, or maybe she imagined that. She ran her fingers over every scar on his arm, watching her fingers touch his flesh. Then, brazenly, she pressed her full hand to the top of his arm, at the shoulder, and ran her palm all the way down to take and squeeze his hand again. She looked to his eyes to see if he was at all scandalized.

            But he was just staring at her, rapt. He raised his right hand, combing it into the hair behind her ear, and bent to kiss her again. She stepped closer and put her hands on his bare arms – one entirely skin, the other part skin and part metal.

            And when they broke from the kiss, he was breathing hard, just a little.

            “I thought this wasn’t as important for humans?” she asked, a tad breathless herself.

            “Touching or seeing _arms_ isn’t, no. Other parts yes, but we’re a long way from those.” He smiled. “But seeing you so caught up in it, obviously enjoying just this much? I like _that_.” He kissed her again quickly. “I like making you happy.”

            “Thank you. I hope I make you happy as well.”

            “Every time I see you smile,” he told her.

            She hugged him, and he hugged her back. She couldn’t feel much of his skin like this, but she loved how warm and safe she felt in his arms.

            And then she heard the door opening and an almost unholy screech. “PRINCESS!”

            Shiro pulled away to turn to the door. Allura didn’t have to see who was there to know. “Coran.”

            He had his face turned away; with the red in his face and the color of his hair, it looked like his whole head was on fire. “Y-you! And he! And…”

            Allura huffed and went to stand between Shiro and her nanny. “We _are_ courting, Coran. And you should have knocked!”

            “Shiro was gone so long bringing you food, I was worried something had happened!”

            “Only good somethings!” she shot back at him. She couldn’t say it without blushing, but she was too annoyed to care about that just now. “And consensual!”

            “I think I should leave…” Shiro was murmuring.

            Coran was still scandalized. “BOTH HIS ARMS, ALL THE WAY UP?!”

            “Well, most of the one arm is metal,” Shiro pointed out.

            “What would your father have said?! Or your mother!”

            “That doesn’t matter because they’re not here and I’m not a child any longer! Shiro and I are courting! There’s nothing wrong with it! The only problem is you just bursting in here!”

            “Excuse me.” Shiro had picked up his shirt and was heading for the door.

            “No, you don’t.” She grabbed hold of the collar of his vest and yanked him back. “Coran was just leaving, I’m sure.”

            He whipped his head around to face her again, but not without raising one hand to block his view of Shiro. “I’m not leaving until he leaves, or who knows what you two will get up to while I’m gone? What’s next? Complete shirtlessness?! Out of the question! You two are moving way too fast, and…”

            “Coran, this isn’t like when you were young!”

            “Excuse me, I am still young!” he huffed.

            “The Slipperies Say Otherwise,” she shot back at him.

            “Guys!” Shiro broke in. “Look, I’ll leave. It’s getting late anyway, and we have a mission tomorrow.”

            “That’s right!” Coran hooted.

            “But,” Shiro said, and she was pleased to hear a sterner tone come into his voice, “Allura’s right. We’re in a relationship, and we’re consenting adults. What we do in private is none of your business, and you really shouldn’t have just walked in on her. I know you’re trying to protect her, Coran, but we can decide on our own what we’re ready for and what we’re not.”

            Coran deflated, head falling. “I know, I know. It’s just… it’s so hard. I can still see her as a little girl, and… I’m sorry. I guess I was being overprotective. I’ll try to let go a little.”

            Shiro looked to her and nodded his head towards Coran. She sighed and cleared her throat. “I appreciate how much you care about me, Coran. You always have been like a second father to me. But I prefer a father to an overbearing nanny.”

            “Thank you, Princess. I’ll do my best.”

            “Okay, good. On that note.” Shiro walked over and took her hand in his. He raised it to his lips and kissed the back of it. “Good night, Allura.”

            She smiled. “Good night, Shiro. Thank you for the lovely time.”

            He headed for the door, but not before chiding her, “And finish eating your food.”

            She glowered at his back. “YOU’RE NOT MY NANNY EITHER!” she called after him.

            He just laughed and disappeared down the hallway.

            Coran straightened up. “He’s right though. When did you eat last?”

            She rolled her eyes. “Good night, Coran.”

            He smiled a little tightly. “Good night, Princess.”


End file.
